First Images With The Nikon 200-500mm E f/5.6 VR Lens For Wildlife

Great Blue Heron taking a break as it was preening on a dead tree limb. Cropped to a square (click to enlarge)
Nikon D810, Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 lens @ 500mm; 1/400th sec. @ f/6.3; ISO 100

Over the past several months knowing that I have interest in wildlife photography, my wife had been encouraging me to expand my photographic skills by pursuing wildlife photography more intensely. Similarly, I also want to keep learning, growing photographically, improving, keeping my photography passion and excitement level high and try to always be a better photographer (and writer).  She made some good points with me so I started thinking about it and decided to give it a try.

Same image as above but cropped to ~100% (click to enlarge)

A few weeks ago I finally gave in and, after much research and careful consideration, I purchased the newly released Nikon 200-500mm E f/5.6 VR lens to be mounted on my Nikon D810.  Let me say now that I am NOT sorry I did.  So far, in my first outing last weekend, this lens/camera combination has proved to be spectacular for me.  

The other finalist in my lens consideration was the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport lens. One day soon I'll write as to why I chose the Nikon over the Sigma in this case.

Full frame original image of two images above (click to enlarge)

Since I don't have much time to write this week, I thought I would post an image to show you why I like this lens.  Here is an image I made with it over the past weekend.  Again, the wildlife is not exotic but the images illustrate my point for this post.  In the near future, I will post some images of fly birds to demonstrate how well the lens locked on and stayed locked on to fast flying snow geese.

The images above were made at 1/3 stop down from wide open.  Before I took this lens out, I used FoCal software to calibrate this lens to my camera body.  As part of the process, the software also measures resolution and determines the optimum apertures. Additionally, the software will provide you with a figure for focus accuracy and consistency.  

In my case, the AF Fine Tune needed to be adjusted to a mere +5, the sharpest aperture is f/6.3 with f/5.6 (wide open) a close second and, in my judgement, usable apertures to about f/10.  Focus consistency is at 99.8%.  I can't complain about anything about this lens so far.  More coming.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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